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Multi-award winning international star David Walliams has just
published his sparkling debut Children’s novel The Boy in the
Dress. Packed with social and moral issues for exploration,
The Boy in the Dress is ideal for the classroom at Key Stage
2 level. Unique but lovable characters create a compelling and emotional
story, and combined with the notoriously witty black and white pencil
drawings of top illustrator Quentin Blake, this book is set to be a hit
with children and adults alike!
We’ve had
the chance to interview David Walliams about the book:
What
made you want to write the book?
I didn’t particularly want to write a Children’s book – I just had this
idea about a boy who wanted to go to school dressed as a girl and what
the repercussions of that would be, and I thought it would make an
interesting book for children. I wanted to examine the idea of
difference and how someone doing such a thing might change people’s
attitudes.
Working
with Quentin Blake
Having Quentin Blake illustrate the book is the most exciting thing. I
never dreamed he would do it because of his associated with possibly the
greatest children’s writer of all time, Roald Dahl. So having him on
board has been amazing. The illustration of Dennis he did for the front
cover is beautiful. What Quentin’s illustrations add to the story is
immeasurable because he doesn’t tell you exactly what people look like;
he just gives a sense of them, but quite an emotional sense of them.
The Boy in the Dress is quite an emotional story so the little
images he’s done of Dennis sitting along in his room brought tears to my
eyes. I was thrilled and honoured to meet him.
Can you
tell us a bit about the story?
It’s about a boy called Dennis who lives at home with his dad and his
older brother John. He’s really interested in football, but he’s also
into Vogue magazine and wants to look at pictures of pretty
dresses. He meets an older girl at school called Lisa who’s really into
fashion and encourages him to dress up. One of the challenges with
writing the story was to think about how a boy who’s already a pupil at
the school could just turn up in a dress. The story would be over in 10
seconds! So there’s a subplot where he pretends to be Lisa’s French
exchange student which creates tension in the story.
Is there a character in the book that you particularly identify with?
A lot of people have asked me if this book is autobiographical – I have
no idea why! But I think I want everyone to identify with the character
of Dennis. He’s the lead character and a really lovely, sweet boy who
has this unusual thing he wants to do. I want to communicate that this
is a totally harmless, fun thing he is doing, and ultimately that
difference is something to be celebrated, something to be embraced. I
think he’s the one I identify with the most. In his family with his dad
and his older brother John, there is a real absence of a woman as his
mum has left home, and for that reason I think I can identify with all
those characters.
Football?
Dennis is really into football. I’m not really into football, but I
thought it was a good counterpoint with the themes of the book as it
would create an interesting parallel between Dennis putting on dresses.
Dennis’ school team is working towards a world cup for schools
competition which creates another dramatic thread in the book – will he
be able to play in the final or not? I am quite ignorant about football
but I’ve admitted that in the book. My authorial voice comes through and
I do put my hands in the air and say I don’t really understand what I’m
talking about!
Transcribed from a video interview by HarperCollins: “The
book isn't aimed at misunderstood young cross-dressers; Dennis isn't
remotely confused about his sexuality - he's totally straight. Nor does
he want to wear a dress all the time… It's a story about adult
hypocrisy, and the injustice of being a child.”
The Boy in
the Dress by David Walliams
ISBN: 9780007279036 £12.99 Hardback
ISBN:
9780007279043
£ 6.99 Paperback
Purchase from
here |
